


New Leaf

by benicemurphy



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: First Dates, Flirting, M/M, Nervousness, Post-Canon, blushing Keith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 13:08:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20779088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/benicemurphy/pseuds/benicemurphy
Summary: It's Keith and Adam's first date after months of relearning each other and dancing around this thing budding between them. Keith is nervous. Adam can tell.





	New Leaf

Keith arrives at Adam's door at three minutes past eight. He's late, but only by three minutes, and though he knows how much tardiness irks Adam, he still considers it a win. If nothing else, he'll say he's fashionably late, whatever that means.

Everything he's wearing is new. He'd run to the nearest men's store as soon as he'd realized he had virtually no clothes left from before the war, and anything he had was at least two sizes too small. The unfortunate woman who'd greeted him as he flew threw the door had sensed his desperation and helped him pick out some dark, form-fitting slacks and a matching blazer that needed no immediate tailoring, as well as a slim cut lavender shirt that apparently makes his eyes pop. The shoes were an after thought, but now, standing at Adam's door staring at his feet, he's glad he took the woman's advice. They're shiny and make him look sharp.

Keith's never cared much about what he wears. He doesn't know anything about fashion beyond what he's picked up from his friends, which isn't much. The only reason he cares now is because Adam had told him to "wear something nice" after Keith had agreed to finally go on a proper date. Keith is sure Adam hadn't even meant it as a rule; it was just a throwaway line, something people say when a date is proposed.

Still, the sentiment stuck with him, and now he's glad that he'd gone through the trouble to find something nice. Adam deserves something nice, especially from Keith. And Keith, well, he feels a little better about himself, a little more worthy, when Adam opens the door and immediately sweeps his eyes over Keith's body.

"You look good," Adam says by way of greeting.

Keith tries and fails to hold back a self-satisfied smirk. "Thanks. You do, too."

And he does. Adam looks effortless. He's wearing dark, expensive-looking jeans and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled to the elbows. He's gorgeous, and it's not the first time that the observation takes Keith aback. He wonders what his younger self would say if he could see himself now.

"Would you like to come in?" Adam asks. Keith has no idea what the protocol for this type of thing is. They're going out on a date, right? Do dates usually start _inside_ the apartment? Aren't they suppose to _end_ there?

Keith flushes at the implication of their date ending at Adam's apartment, and he's probably taken too long to answer, because Adam ushers him inside and seats him at the kitchen island. Adam pulls out a bottle of liquor — something brown — and a couple of glasses, and pours a little in each before scooting one over to Keith.

"Sorry," he says. "I should have asked first. Do you drink?"

Keith sniffs the drink and tries not to wrinkle his nose. "Haven't much, but I'm not opposed."

"You don't have to. Just thought it might help calm your nerves."

Keith lifts his gaze from the glass in hand and looks up at Adam through his lashes. "That obvious?"

Adam smiles. It's surprisingly reassuring. "It's alright. You don't need to be nervous, though. It's just me."

But that's the thing, isn't it? It isn't _just_ Adam. It could never be _just_ Adam, because Adam is important to him — more important than most other people in his life, excluding a notable few. His ideas of Adam have shifted rapidly and drastically since they met again so many months ago, but even before that, back when he was just a shifty kid determined to make it to space one day, Adam had been a major part of his support system. Half of it, exactly. So no, he's not _just_ Adam, but he is _Adam_, the person with whom he feels the safest now after all is said and done.

Keith takes a deep breath, in, then out, and hopes Adam doesn't catch onto the full extent of exactly how nervous he is. It's one thing that this is his first date with Adam. It's a completely different thing that it just so happens to also be his first date with anyone, ever.

He puts on a smile that he hopes doesn't look too shaky and swirls the drink around inside his glass. "I know," he responds, finally. "I'm just not very good at this."

Adam smiles again and takes a sip of his own drink. "You're doing fine, Keith. Don't worry about that. Let's just enjoy our time together."

Keith almost laughs. Yes, he truly does enjoy the time he spends with Adam now, but they've both grown in innumerable ways, seen things they couldn't have even imagined a few years ago. Back then, Keith had cared for and appreciated Adam, but he would have been a little more hard pressed to say he really enjoyed hanging out with him.

Now, though, Adam is right. They've been getting to know each other again for months. They've grown extremely close. The title of "date" is just a formality to nudge their relationship from platonic and flirty to overtly romantic. Keith wants that. He's ready to love and be loved.

He finally works up the courage to take a sip of his drink. It's strong and reminds him of jet fuel, and it burns a little when it splashes against the back of his throat. He can't help the way his nose scrunches reflexively this time, and Adam finally huffs out a small laugh.

"You don't have to drink that."

Keith slumps, relieved, and pushes the glass away. Adam laughs a little louder. It's incredibly attractive. Adam is a little more free with his emotional expression nowadays, much like Keith. It's one of the many reasons they seem to work together.

"Sorry," he says through a tiny smile. "It tastes as fancy as it looks."

"Hm." Adam takes another, longer swig of his drink. "I wonder if you do, too."

Keith is endlessly grateful that he chose not to attempt another sip as he chokes on the air he breathes. He knows his entire face must be burning up — he can feel it in the tips of his ears.

"_Adam_," he hisses.

Finally, Adam laughs fully and without restraint. It takes him a few moments to calm himself again, but when he does, he says, "I'm sorry. It was just too perfect."

Keith allows his own tension to drain into laughter then, too. It's not full-bellied like Adam's, but it feels nice and reminds him that he's just here with a good friend.

"I mean it, though," Adam says with a fond smile. He reaches forward to lay his hand over Keith's where it rests on the island. "You look incredible." He strokes his thumb over the back of Keith's hand, soothing and affectionate at the same time, and Keith feels butterflies erupt in his stomach. "You do," he repeats, "and I was planning on taking you to an amazing Mediterranean fusion restaurant tonight, but we don't have to go."

Keith feels the bottom fall out of his stomach. He's not taking it back now, right?

"No!" Keith exclaims a little too quickly. "I— I really want this, Adam."

Adam looks at him for a moment, puzzled, before he realizes what Keith means.

"Oh, wait— I just meant that if you'd feel more comfortable, we could always try the nice restaurant another time. We can do something a little more... us, this time."

Keith breathes a big sigh of relief. God, if he'd managed to screw up their first date before they'd even left— "I don't want to mess up whatever you have planned," he murmurs shyly.

"You aren't messing anything up, Keith." Adam walks around to the other side of the island to sidle up next to Keith. He lifts a hand to Keith's back and rubs soothing circles there. Keith can't help but lean into it, seeking the comfort of touch and Adam's proximity. "How about we get you out of this jacket and go grab a couple of milkshakes? Maybe some takeout from that sushi place nearby?"

Keith knows which sushi place Adam is referring to. It's not great, considering they live in the middle of the desert, but they've been there together a few times before, and the restaurant always has some kind of silly gimmick to enjoy, like mango sushi or fried bananas or boba milk tea in far too many flavors. It's nice.

"Yeah, okay," Keith agrees. "Sushi sounds good."

Adam smooths his hand across the width of Keith's shoulders and gives him a firm squeeze before dropping it to help Keith out of his jacket. As good as he knows he looks in it, he feels a thousand times better without the added weight of it on his shoulders. He rolls up his sleeves to match Adam's, who watches with interest.

"What?"

Adam's eyes roam across his torso, now clad only in the lavender shirt, before coming back up to meet Keith's.

"That color is beautiful on you. Complements your pretty eyes."

Keith's heart stutters. He makes a mental note to send the woman in the shop a fruit basket or something next time he's not on a date.

"Thanks," he whispers. He feels flustered, but very pleased.

Adam hangs Keith's jacket in the coat closet and extends a hand to Keith. "Ready?"

Keith takes Adam's hand without hesitation. It's big, but it doesn't dwarf his own. It's rough from wartime, but the skin is soft. Adam must take care of his hands, and it shows.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Keith rises to stand and lets his fingers lace together with Adam's, as naturally as anything. He gives Adam's hand a small squeeze in thanks — thanks for being so accommodating, thanks for understanding, thanks for giving me a chance — and feels Adam squeeze back. The smile on Adam's face is small and soft and achingly fond, and Keith feels a matching one stretch his lips.

It isn't perfect yet, but they're both trying. And Keith is ready. He's ready to try again, ready to give his heart away, and more than anything, ready to care for Adam's heart in return.

He's ready.


End file.
